Vhong Navarro's camp issues statement following release order on Cedric Lee, Deniece Cornejo

The camp of Vhong Navarro said the actor-host will pursue all the legal remedies available to him following news that the Court of Appeals has directed the release of Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee.

In a statement aired on "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" on Monday, Navarro's legal counsel, Atty. Alma Mallonga, said that her client has long trusted the Philippine justice system and will continue to do so despite its shortcomings.

"He believed, then as now, that despite its shortcomings, truth would prevail and his long and difficult battle to correct the criminal wrong that was done to him would reach a just conclusion," Mallonga said in Filipino. "In keeping with that faith, he will continue to pursue all the remedies that are available to him. He is prepared to fully accept the result of that process when it finally ends."

"To set the record straight, it is not true that the accused have been detained since 2014, which is the reason the Court of Appeals had ordered their immediate release. But they have, in fact, been serving time in prison. Whether or not the period the accused have spent in incarceration is sufficient, considering the affirmance of their conviction, is a matter of law which everyone is bound to respect," she said.

"Mr. Navarro shall continue to trust in the process and abide by whatever that requires," she added.

On Monday, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said that it will coordinate with the CA regarding Lee and Cornejo's release.

According to BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang, they will request a copy of the Entry of Judgment after the appellate court directed their release.

“The Bureau is reviewing the records and sentence computations to ensure that any release is carried out in accordance with the appellate court’s order and applicable rules on sentence administration,” it said in a statement.

Per BuCor, Lee was initially sentenced to reclusion perpetua for serious illegal detention and was placed under BuCor custody in March 2024.

The CA modified the offense to grave coercion and imposed a sentence of six months to three years, six months, and 21 days.

Lee and Cornejo are also serving another case for grave coercion. The CA affirmed and modified their sentence but has yet to issue an Entry of Judgment.

In May 2024, the Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 153 found Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Simeon Raz guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegally detaining Navarro in 2014.

They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years' imprisonment.

In 2014, Lee and his group were accused of holding Navarro captive and inflicting serious physical injuries against him.

The Supreme Court dismissed in March 2023 the charges of rape and acts of lasciviousness against Navarro due to lack of probable cause. The case stemmed from a complaint filed against him by Cornejo.

—CDC, GMA News